Wanted: Actors—The locally produced independent feature film Black will be shooting here in Albuquerque this fall and producers are looking for a cast. Five teenage girls (16-18), three teenage boys (16-18), four women (18-25), six men (18-25), two women (30-40), four men (30-40) and a whole bunch of “goth extras” are needed to round out the roster. Since this is a low-budget indie, these are not paid positions; but interested actors will get credit for their work. Black seems to be a dark goth drama about a troubled teenage girl who begins to sympathize with a fantasy character in a book she finds. Auditions will be held Saturday, July 15, and Sunday, July 16, from 5:30 until 9:30 p.m. If you are unable to make auditions this weekend, please note that there will be other upcoming opportunities. Actual filming will take place Nov. 5-19. Anyone interested in trying out for the film can contact writer/director J. Starr Welty at jswelty@atmosphericproductions.com for more details.

That sinking feeling

By Devin D. O’Leary

Back in 2003, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl did just about everything right. The breezy mix of comedy, swashbuckling action, exotic locales and attractive stars made it a guaranteed summer blockbuster. Having perfected the formula in their first outing, the cast and crew have no recourse but to do it all over again for the sequel--only bigger, longer, louder, faster, more explosive, with a larger cast, more exotic locales and a whole boatload more special effects. Sadly, progress doesn’t always imply improvement.

World War II drama resonates through the ages

By Devin D. O”Leary

Yes, it’s true. Germany has a fondness for Holocaust dramas. So, too, does America, apparently. Of the 15 German films submitted since 1990 for Academy Award consideration, six have had an explicit connection to Hitler. Five of those landed Oscar nominations. Of the nine German films that weren’t about World War II, only one was nominated for an Oscar. In the world’s view, it would seem, Germany and Nazis go hand-in-hand--like chocolate and peanut butter or America and shotgun diplomacy.

Baby First TV

By Devin D. O’Leary

How much TV should a baby be watching on a per-day average? If Benjamin Spock were alive, he’d probably tell you “none.” But Dr. Spock didn’t have a subscription TV empire to maintain, now did he? The brains behind the controversial new Baby First TV do, and their answer to the same question would be an enthusiastic, “Some!”

The Week in Sloth

Thursday 13

“Office Webisodes” (www.nbc.com) Yeah, it’s not really on TV, but TV is full of reruns right now, so NBC is trying a little something different by posting a 10-episode miniseries made up of three-minute story arcs featuring bit players from NBC’s “The Office.”